The Rebel (ex-Country Teasers)
Idiots v. Spastics EP
Guided Missile Recordings

A solo single from The Rebel a.k.a. B.R. Waller, usually to be found up-front with the Country Teasers, described as "Evil country from Edinburgh". Or, as the notes on the back of the cover says: The Rebel plays the Country Teasers' instruments and songs. This EP holds four songs; 3 by Mr. Waller, oh, sorry; by Country Teasers. The last track is written by M.A. Gerin Lajoie (The Lost Canadian/Un Canadien Errant - a song done by Leonard Cohen on his Recent Songs album). So, rebel, what's the cause?

The songs are played really simple and straightforward: raw-sounding home recordings. Guitar, bass, drums machine, synth, and of course Rebels' deep'n'raspy vocals. The Idiot opens side 1, and I'm trying to figure out what it sounds like. A more relaxed edition of mid-80s Liverpool-band Half Man Half Biscuit maybe (hey, at least they cheered for Tranmere Rovers!). It's also hard to avoid dropping the name Calvin Johnson (and Beat Happening), much because of the deep voice of both gents. Well, Julie's Resolution is even more difficult to get, being more of an experimental tune: semi-instrumental, with words recited in the back-ground (is that the plot "borrowed" from Werner Herzog?). The Spastic follows and is a kicker, maybe the most interesting song. Un Canadien Errant is slow-floating (as B.R. sounds - I guess this was taped rather late...) and sung in French (-Canadian), which doesn't make me any wiser (pardon my French). However, it sounds like, well, a drunken and lost French sailor, or maybe like an early demo track by Les Negresses Vertes.

So, Rebel, as written on the back of this EP: This is not a homage, it's a piss-take. Rebel with a lot of booze? A bit funny, tough, but maybe some more variation next time?

Copyright © 2000 Håvard Oppøyen